Whatever It Takes
by ThnksFrThMmrs87
Summary: When Wyatt goes missing everyone knows they will do anything to bring him back. What they don't know is just how far DG will go to save him, and what she's willing to give up in the process. Established DG/Cain and Az/Jeb
1. Chapter 1

Note From The Author-- So I've already done something along these lines I suppose; at least there are definite similarities between this and Fairytale Endings. Either way I couldn't get this out of my head, so here it is. It's shaping up to most likely be a two shot, three at the most.

Disclaimer-- I don't own the characters of Tin Man

The sky was dark and ominous when they came to find her. DG had known when it all went wrong; a part of her could feel it. She didn't know what happened, she didn't know how bad it was, but her chest ached and her magic flared the minute things went south.

It was supposed to be routine; after word had reached them that Zero had been sprung from his metal prison only to have been beaten to death by former members of the resistance Cain and Jeb had insisted on going with the recon team that Glitch organized. The only plan was to bring the suit back to Central City to be destroyed and decide what was to be done with Zero's body. Still, both of the Cain men wanted to be there, if only to see with their own eyes that their tormentor from long ago was really dead.

DG, of course, hadn't liked it. From the very beginning something told her that there was off, that it wouldn't go as planned. But Cain had been adamant, and Glitch assured her that it would be simple in and out. So she tried to shake it off, said goodbye, and worked on finding a way to ignore the feeling that the man she was deeply in love with wouldn't come home in one piece.

She'd been dealing with that feeling for weeks, past the moment she knew something had gone wrong, and well past the time that the party was supposed to be back. She thought she was prepared for anything, but when they came to find her she felt her heart seize in her chest. Az came first, then Glitch; but no Jeb, and no Wyatt.

"DG…"

She held up a shaking hand before Glitch could say anything else. "Don't, just don't. How many times did I tell them not to go? How many times did I beg him to stay behind?"

It was Az who spoke then. "You couldn't have stopped him, little sister."

"Obviously," she whispered. She tried to keep her royal air about her as she stood and smoothed out her dress. "What happened?"

Glitch knew the question was directed specifically at him, so he tried not to mince words. "It should have been simple," he told her. "We got there, we found the suit, got the body from the villagers, and we started back. We were halfway here when a rogue faction from the village we'd just left caught up with us. They said that after what Zero had done to their friends and family they deserved to decide what happened to him in death. They wanted him drawn and quarterd, Doll. Didn't seem to matter much to them that he was already dead."

She shook her head as her hands fisted at her sides. The eyes she turned back to them were hard as ice. "You know exactly what I'm asking, and you're deliberately ignoring it. What, happened?" Each word was emphasized.

"We don't know. They had some sort of magic; not as strong as yours but still potent. We all went completely blind but Cain had hung back and he came in after the spell had been cast. He tried to fight back, we could all hear him but we couldn't see a thing and we couldn't stop anything."

DG's magic flared out with her emotions, and sparks crackled from her fingers as she spoke. "You're still avoiding, and I'm getting really sick of it."

Glitch just shook his head. "When we could all see again Zero's body was gone, and so was Cain. We found his hat in a pool of blood."

"How much blood?" she questioned.

Glitch shook his head. "Too much."

Everyone stepped towards her but she just held a hand out. "Just give me the bottom line, please."

He looked her straight in the eye and said the words she'd been dreading. "We can't find him, and there was just too much blood. Jeb stayed behind with some of the men to look, but as far as we know, he didn't make it DG."

She thought she was prepared for anything, or that sensing something had made her ready for all of the possibilities; it simply wasn't the truth. Hearing it and dealing with the reality of it shattered her heart into a million pieces. A ragged sob broke free before she could stop it and she turned to her sister with wide terrified eyes. "Az…"

"He could still be found Deeg, this isn't the end."

"Unfortunately the likelihood of that isn't really…"

Azkadellia whirled around, showing Glitch the fullness of her anger and fear for her sister. "Keep your mouth shut Ambrose. Deeg don't listen to him, it could all turn out right."

She shook her head. "You don't know him. If there was a way, any way, to get back here he would be home. Oh God." Her body began to shake as sobs overtook her. "Oh God," she keened.

The elder princess couldn't do anything more than catch DG as she collapsed under the weight of her grief. Together they sank to the floor, Az cradling her baby sister in her arms as she wept. She knew there was nothing she could possibly do to make this better, so she just held on and prayed to the gods that she was right.

Two weeks went by, and they didn't hear a word. Jeb hadn't made contact, and with every day that went by DG felt what little hope she had begin to die. She hadn't broken down since that very first day with Az; she knew it wouldn't do any good. If Cain was really and truly gone there wasn't anything she could do. So thought she went through every day with her heart fracturing, she did her duty. She refused all public appearances, but she made decisions and went to fittings, constantly doing the work of a princess; but she didn't say a word other than what was absolutely necessary. DG knew that if she opened up or really let herself feel that she would completely lose control, and that she couldn't afford. So she closed herself off, and she began to accept the fact that she would never see Wyatt Cain again.

The sky had been dark and gloomy for those two long weeks, the suns barely shining. Still, there had been no relief, and the whole of the OZ waited for the downpour that would cleanse and finally bring the sunshine. There seemed to be no end in sight when almost three weeks after Cain's disappearance the sky opened up and the rain began to fall. Before long it had become the worst storm anyone had seen in years, and DG watched it all from her window seat.

Azkadellia hadn't seen her sister all day, and when she found her she wasn't surprised to see her resting with her forehead leaning against the window. "How are you feeling baby sister?"

DG shook her head. "I don't know, Az."

The elder princess took a seat next to her sister, reaching out to take her hand. "DG, you never know what could happen."

"It's been so long," she whispered brokenly. "I haven't let myself feel, not really, but there's only so many days that we can hold out hope. I've accepted it."

Az shook her head, hard. "You don't know that. You know Jeb; he could still bring him back."

Their eyes met, and DG knew that her were shining with tears, and every emotion she was feeling at that moment. "He could, but we both know what the odds are."

"Deeg…"

"Az, listen to me. I've been thinking about this for weeks. Do you think I like knowing that it's entirely possible that I'm never going to see him again? That I'm never going to touch him or hold him again?" She stood and walked away from the window, twisting the ring on her left hand. "It wasn't supposed to happen this way; we've been married for five months. I'm supposed to have more time with him than this. We're supposed to have a house full of kids and get old and obnoxious together. I don't like thinking about it, or knowing that I may never have any of that; but I have to face it. If I don't I'll completely lose control."

"DG…"

There was urgency in Az's voice, but DG really couldn't find the strength to care. "Az, at this point I really think it's better for you to just save all of the reassurances," she sighed.

"No, Deeg, listen to me."

"Az… just give it a rest okay," she requested, tears thickening her voice. "I just don't know what else…"

She surged to her feet, practically sprinting over to grab her sister's arm and drag her to the window. "Deeg look."

It was hard to see anything through the downpour; but slowly, fuzzy shapes began to take form. The figure at the head of what she could see was a group looked startlingly familiar, and she thought her heart would stop. "Oh my God," she whispered, pressing her hand to her heart.

"Oh my God," Az quietly agreed.

Maids, assistants, and various other staff members hit the walls and stared in amazement as the two princesses of the OZ bolted through the palace as fast as their heavy royal garb would allow them. A cry went up through the palace and it wouldn't be long before the King and Queen joined in the strange dash.

DG was panting for breath by the time they reached the entrance hall, tears pouring silently down her cheeks as she pushed through the double doors. The group was small, consisting only of five or six men; but it was the man who lay prostrate on a stretcher that had her attention.

She could dimly hear Jeb's voice and Az's mingling, but she didn't care what they were saying. Soaked to the bone, she slid to a jarring stop in the mud, falling to her knees next to the stretcher. Wyatt was clearly unconscious, terrifyingly pale, and she could see several obvious wounds, most of them seeping blood. "Raw!"

The healer fell to his knees beside her and reached out to lay his hands on the Tin Man. His face contorted as he worked, but other than noticing a little less blood, DG couldn't see any change in her husband's condition. The look she saw in Raw's eyes when they opened again gave her little hope. "Much damage."

DG nodded. "Okay, so we'll fix it," she said desperately. "Get me a healer!" she cried.

It took some time, too much time; and as she waited her hand stroked over his face. She didn't know what she said to him in those moments, it didn't matter. They were some of the longest moments of her life. When a healer finally arrived he began barking out orders, but stopped short of requesting that the princess leave his side. He valued his life too much.

"Can't we get him out of this rain?" Ahamo asked.

"I'm not prepared to move him, not until I can heal some of the damage."

So he went to work in the pouring rain, with the entire royal family looking over his shoulder and an overwrought wife at his side. The healer and Raw effectively tag teamed, doing all that they could.

When both men pulled back, DG felt her heart speed up. "Why are you stopping, you can't be done with him."

"We've done all we can," the healer told her regretfully. "There's only so much…"

For the second time in weeks uncontrolled magic crackled off her hands. "You do not have an option B."

Raw's hand touched her shoulder heavily. "Nothing else to do. Too much damage."

Her breathing hitched as her heart went wild. "I can't breath." She clawed at the fastenings on her corset, feeling lightheaded and desperate. Hands were suddenly at her back, easing the stiff garment away from her under dress and she tossed It behind her as she leaned over Wyatt, hands outstretched.

"DG what are you doing?" her mother questioned, stepping up behind her daughter.

"Exactly what you think I am."

Ahamo was quickly present at the Queen's side. "Your magic isn't naturally tuned into healing like Raw's, you don't know what could happen."

The young princess turned her thunderous gaze to her parents. "You heard them; they've done everything they can, and it isn't enough."

"He could die, doll," Glitch said quietly.

"He'll die either way," DG whispered. "If Raw can't heal him, and medics can't heal him, this is the only way. He definitely dies if I don't try this, and I won't let him go without trying every last thing."

She turned again, focusing her full attention on Wyatt. "Heart," she whispered to herself, feeling her magic pulsing to full life. "If you don't have heart…"

Az heard her sister's words, whispered like a prayer. She and Jeb shared a glance, and the fear and grief in his eyes coupled with DG's sealed her coming actions. With a chaste kiss she stepped out of Jeb's arms and fell to the ground on the other side of the stretcher. "Let's do this baby sister," she said quietly, their eyes locked.

They joined hands, pressing them over Cain's heart. Magic flared and pulsed around them, bathing everything in an ethereal glow that glinted off the falling rain. Az's breath began to come quick as the magic swept through them, and quickly understood DG's earlier plight. "Jeb!" she cried.

"What do you need?" he questioned as he dropped to his knees next to her.

"Get me out of this damn corset," she requested.

His hands worked fast, but even without it she couldn't breathe properly, not with the magic that was coursing through them. DG seemed to be having the same problems, but she couldn't care for her own well being. Her chest was heaving with breath but her focus remained only on Cain. "Damn it this has to work, it has to."

Magic flared even brighter as both princesses pushed everything they had into Wyatt Cain's body. Neither of them knew how long they stayed there; time didn't work the same way there. But before long they were both exhausted, Az resting back against Jeb even as she kept her hands on his father's chest. "Deeg, what else can we do?"

The younger princess shook her head. "One last thing."

Az realized seconds too late what DG was planning. She cried out as her little sister pushed her away, and all any of them could do was watch in horror as DG screamed in pain with a blinding light surrounding her.

"What the hell is she doing?" Jeb cried.

"She's trying to give him some of her life force," she sobbed. "I can't stop her, I can't get close enough."

Glitch felt his eyes well with tears. "We'll lose them both."

DG didn't hear any of it. Everything was lost to the rushing of magic in her head and the pain that seemed to be tearing her apart. Her magic was raging out of her control, taking more from her than she had intended. She couldn't stop it, couldn't save herself from what was happening.

As spots began to dance at the edge of her vision she felt her body giving out. She couldn't help but think it would all be worth it if she succeeded in bringing Wyatt Cain back. Moments later, it was all rewarded when beautiful ice blue eyes met hers. But the joy was short lived for all of them. Before Cain could manage to get all the way through her name the world tipped. The last thing she registered before she fell to the ground was that ice blue.


	2. Chapter 2

Note From The Author—Thank you guys so so much for the overwhelming response to this story! I'm so thrilled you're into this. I'm thinking we'll probably go to three chapters but we'll see. Thanks again and enjoy this chapter!

Before he had passed out, Cain had been thinking that when he did lose consciousness he probably wouldn't wake up. He knew that by then DG's thoughts had probably turned to the same place, and it broke his heart to know that they both could be right. So when he felt him self awaken he was more than happy to have been proven wrong.

To everyone standing there it may have looked like he woke suddenly, his eyes opening rapidly to meet his wife's. In reality, it was a gradual process. The first thing he felt was searing pain then came a blinding light and a sensation as if cool water was rushing through him and soothing all his hurts. His eyes opened to see DG leaning over him, and his name was on her lips when she collapsed.

"DG!" He was up off his back in seconds, dropping to his knees next to his wife. "What the hell happened?"

The crowd of people around him only goggled at him for a second. "It worked," Az said, shaking her head in amazement. "It actually worked."

"Dad, I…"

Wyatt shook his head. "Jeb, you have no idea how glad I am to be alive and apparently healthy, and how happy I am to see you. But at the moment my wife is laying here unconscious in the rain, and I'd really like to know what in the gods name is going on."

They were all shaken out of their reverie by his words, and Raw moved over to put a hand over DG's heart. "Alive, but pushed deep inside."

"What the hell does that mean, Furball?" Cain questioned.

"She is alive, but Raw cannot wake her up. What DG did with magic Raw cannot undo. Must get Princess out of the rain."

Honestly, they had all forgotten about the rain, but the reminder brought the chills and worry coming at them hard. "Let us all go inside, we can discuss this when we are safe and dry." The queen's regal command spurred the crowd to action.

Cain refused any help with DG. He felt as healthy as a horse, and when he swung her up into his arms he could have wept over how good it felt to hold her again, unconscious or not. When their bizarre caravan of people arrived in the family's quarters he and Az settled DG on the bed and while the others went to dry off, they changed her into a pair of pajamas and dried her off the best they could, using Az's magic to fill in the blanks and get rid of the last of the moisture.

When Az left, Cain changed his own clothes, and then settled on the edge of the bed next to his wife. Words couldn't even begin to describe how much he had missed her, or how horrible it had felt knowing that he might never get home; but to find her this way, and evidently because of him… "What did you do darlin'?" he asked her quietly.

"She gave you some of her life force," Jeb answered from the door. "I'd never seen anything like it," he told his father as he walked into the room.

That had him on his feet. "What do you mean some of her life force?"

The younger Cain shook his head. "You think I understand it any better than you? I hardly know anything about magic, Dad; and what I do know only because Az has told me. The two of them worked on you together with their magic, and when it wasn't working DG pushed Az away. She started screaming, this god-awful, heart breaking scream."

"Jeb, you're scaring him." Princess Azkadellia was back, and this time she brought her parents, Ambrose, Raw, and the other healer with her. "We'll explain all of this after you've been looked at Wyatt."

He folded his arms across his chest. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm completely fine. DG's the one lying on that bed."

"Dad, we were all literally watching you die," Jeb told him. "Just let them look at you."

Of course he didn't like it, but the lingering fear in his son's voice had hem convinced. Raw and the healer looked him over, and he felt a little like a science experiment as everyone wondered over him. The wounds he had been suffering from had healed to smooth scars.

"I'll be damned," Ahamo whispered almost reverently. "She really did it."

"Did what?" Cain asked. "Jeb said she gave me some of her life force; how on earth does that work?"

The queen held her hand out briefly, signaling them to be silent until the healer left the room. Glitch hurried after him, closing the door softly as she began to spoke. "Jeb was right; DG did give you some of her life force."

Wyatt felt a bit like an angry animal; like he was ready to rip someone's throat out if he didn't get his answers. "With all due respect, you can all keep telling me that 'til you're blue in the face and I'm still not going to understand it." He sat down on the bed, his hand stroking over DG's hair. "What does that mean for her?"

Az could see him struggling, and she sat down next to him, laying her hand over his. "We don't know, Wyatt. That's the problem."

"What DG did for you is different than what her mother did for her," Glitch chimed in, pacing. "What the queen gave DG was all to do with magic, her essence rather than her life, and into another would be vessel for magic, which was why she didn't die when she gave everything up. DG quite literally gave up a little of her own life to bring you back."

"What will that do to her?" Ahamo asked the question that Cain couldn't.

The tears in the queen's eyes scared them all more than anything could. "I've only heard of anything like this happening a few times in hundreds of years."

"No disrespect, but please, just tell me everything you can as straight as you can," Cain pleaded.

She nodded. "Glitch is exactly right. When DG did what she did, she gave you a piece of her life. That could mean anything, but what is certain is that it will take something from her."

"But what? What will it take from her?"

Desperation was creeping into his voice, and Az gave his hand a squeeze. "There's no way to know until she wakes up. She could lose pieces of her memory; she could lose muscle function or her sight."

"If she couldn't shut the process down, it could be even worse," Glitch said, sorrow clear in his voice. "She could lose control of her body entirely, and if it went too far she may never wake up."

The room went silent as they all absorbed that piece of information. Tears sprang to Wyatt's eyes, and when Az saw them she stood. "We'll give you some time."

The eldest princess led everyone out of the room, and Cain was grateful for it. As soon as they were gone he turned fully to DG. She looked so damn peaceful, and it was tearing him apart to know that he might never get her back. With his hand still trailing over her hair, he wondered if this would be his last chance to speak to her.

"Why did you do that darlin'?" he asked. "I am not worth your life. I suppose I'm a lucky man, to know that you love me so much you would do that for me; but I'd rather have you here to tell me yourself. We both know this wasn't how this was supposed to turn out. Took me long enough to let the fact that I loved you get through my stubborn head; I wasted so much time pretending." He stroked her cheek, feeling tears fall faster. "I need you to wake up, sweetheart. We need to give Jeb a whole passel of brothers and sisters to drive him crazy and look up to him. I have to hold you and kiss you and love you again, Deeg; I won't be able to stand it if I can't. Come back to me."

He broke off with tears overtaking him, and as he lay down to take her into his arms he prayed that it would be the last time he did so.

While Cain was dealing with the realities facing him, Az and Jeb had settled in her rooms. They lay together on her sofa, wrapped up in each other's arms and trying to forget the fact that they could lose DG.

"What happened, Jeb?" she asked.

He sighed. "It was all a trap; the whole thing. The village had been harboring Longcoats for years. It wasn't a rogue faction of villagers that came after us; it was the Longcoats that the sympathetic villagers had been hiding for years. Their magic distracted us long enough to get their hands on Dad; that's what they wanted all along."

"But why?" She questioned. "Why did they want your father?"

"He was the one that put Zero in the tin suit. After the eclipse Dad and DG went back to the place, and they used her magic to make sure that Zero would live the rest of his life in that personal prison. As far as they knew or cared Dad was responsible for the death of the man who was effectively their leader. They wanted revenge."

She still didn't get it. "Why keep him alive for so long?"

Sometimes it amazed Jeb how different Az was from what they had all assumed her to be. In the days of the witch she would have immediately known the answer to that question. But with sweet and considerate Az in full possession of her mind and body, it wouldn't even occur to her. "Torture, darlin'. They wanted to make him hurt."

The nickname he had picked up from his father usually made her smile, but today it was only a reminder of what was at stake. "What am I going to do if I lose her?" she whispered.

"Don't think like that Az," he urged. "We'll cross that bridge if we come to it. For now we hope, and we pray to the gods that she wakes."

"And that she's still DG when she does."

Though nobody wanted to say it out loud, everyone was dealing with the same fears as Azkadellia; and as the days ticked by without DG waking up, those fears began to weigh heavily on them. Nobody wanted to face the reality that she may not wake up, so none of them did.

They went about their business in the palace, dealing with the mundane activities of everyday life and the duties of a royal family and their staff. They tried to avoid thinking about it as best they could when they weren't with DG and Cain. However, reminders of her seemed to crop up everywhere as they had to explain to their people what was going on, and as they moved through the palace.

Everyone tried their own methods to keep themselves sane, though none were very effective. Glitch dove into his experiments, disappearing for hours at a time. The Queen took on every diplomatic responsibility that she could in an effort to keep herself busy, and Ahamo spent most of his days working with the palace guards.

Az wasn't sleeping, so Jeb spent most of his nights sitting up with her. They would play chess, talk, or just lie there together; it didn't really matter so long as she could escape her frightening dreams and he could escape his worry for his father and stepmother. Still, the younger Cain was exhausted, and Azkadellia knew it. As much as she appreciated him constantly staying with her and keeping her mind off things, she knew he deserved some rest. That was the precise reason that when Jeb drifted off one night in the middle of a conversation, Az settled a blanket over him and went to her sister's rooms.

As she had expected, she found Cain by DG's bedside. He was wide awake, clutching his wife's hand and looking entirely lost. With a sad sigh, Az walked into the room and laid a hand on his shoulder. "When was the last time you slept?"

Wyatt laid his hand over hers briefly before turning his focus back to DG. "It doesn't matter."

"Yes it does. It's been almost a week, and you've hardly eaten or rested at all. I know you don't want to leave her side, but you can't keep doing this to yourself."

He shook his head. "Az when I lost Adora I spent the first year in that suit wondering; did she really know how I felt, did I tell her often enough how much I loved her? Every fiber of my being wondered if I had made it clear to her. When I finally got my act together and told DG that I loved her, I promised myself that at the end I wouldn't have any of those regrets again. But we haven't even been married for a year. How could she know how deeply I love her? How could she know after so little time that she's the center of my world?"

"She knows," Az told him. "Of course she knows; and you have to believe that she's going to wake up, and you'll be able to tell her all of these things just to reinforce it all."

Cain turned to look at her, and for a moment dark eyes held light. He could see the worries there mirroring his own. "I just hope that believing is enough."


	3. Chapter 3

Note From The Author—I'm so grateful for all of the amazing feedback you guys have been giving me. I'm so glad you're enjoying this story! Herein lays a sweet comedic relief Az and Jeb moment for those of us who enjoy, and of course more drama.

Glitch had tried, Az had tried; Ahamo, the queen and Jeb had tried. Nobody could budge Cain from DG's bedside. He ate there, on the rare occasion he slept it was in their bed with her, and he showered and changed clothes only when not doing so became unbearable. For the few minutes he ever left the room, he made sure someone was there the whole time. He wouldn't have her waking up alone, not with what she'd been through.

People floated in and out of their quarters all day, talking to Cain or whispering to DG. Sometimes they would all just sit there in silence, and it was on those days that Cain got the distinct impression that they were all praying for a miracle.

When a month went by and there was no sign of the princess coming to, her friends and family were forced to entertain the idea that she might never wake up. She was alive, but they didn't know for how long. Raw could only push so far, and without being able to speak to her they had no way of knowing if she was healing or getting worse. But though they were facing down a horrifying reality, they weren't ready to give up yet, especially not Cain. So they waited, and they hoped.

One morning Az woke to find that Jeb was no longer beside her. Though he had been there when she had drifted off into a fitful sleep, it didn't panic her. He often had to leave in the mornings to work or train with the guard, but she knew that obligation wasn't pressing that day; and so she threw on a dress, ran a brush through her hair, and headed towards DG and Cain's rooms.

When she reached the quarters she found Jeb leaning against the doorjamb, his gaze focused in on the bed. Cain had actually fallen asleep, a feat in and of itself. He had evidently been sitting up when he had done so, and now he was slumped against the bed, his head nestled against DG's stomach and his hand still clutching hers.

"I'm worried," Jeb said when she stopped behind him. "This is tearing him to pieces."

Az leaned down to rest her head on his shoulder with a sigh. "I'm worried too, but you of all people know how stubborn he is. He won't leave her side, and he won't give up; even if the rest of us do."

Jeb turned to pull her into his arms. "And will you? Give up?"

"I can't," she whispered, her voice breaking. "She's my baby sister. She didn't give up on me, even when everyone else thought there was no way to get me back, she tried, and she succeeded. DG brought my world back, and Cain was a large part of that. There has to be a way for me to give them back their world."

That was why he loved her, because of her heart and her kindness; and because she knew exactly how lucky she was to be standing where she was. "Then we'll find a way to get it back for them. There have to be books we haven't seen, stories that no one has read." He tugged on her hand. "Come on."

They went to the library and began searching through every tome, scroll and illustration they could find. They were at it for hours and hadn't even begun to make a dent in the palace archives, but they kept pushing.

"Damn it!"

Jeb about jumped out of his skin when Az cried out in frustration. "Sweetheart, you're bound to give me a heart attack if you do that again."

"I'm sorry, it's just…. I've been through at least a hundred books, and there isn't one case that even remotely resembles what DG did. Turning into animals, talking to trees, making sparkles shoot out your rear end, I've got it; but not one single case of someone giving someone part of their life force!" She yanked her hands through her hair. "Mother said there have been a few other cases of this so where on earth are they?"

He knew that they were in a terrible situation, and that the research they were doing could make or break finding a way to bring DG back to them. But he just couldn't help but notice how ridiculously adorable she looked at that moment. Her hands were tangled in her hair, there was a smudge of dust that reached from forehead to chin, her dress was covered in dust and bits of paper from the paper she'd alternately been taking notes on and shredding. It was a comically cute picture, and despite his worries, for a moment all he could see was this gorgeous puzzle of a woman he was in love with.

"What?" she questioned.

"Huh?" Jeb shook himself back into full consciousness. "Sorry what?"

Az shot him a concerned look. "Are you okay? You were staring at me but it was almost like you weren't even seeing me. Maybe you need some more rest as well."

"I'm fine, honest. Let's just keep working."

They dived back in, though Jeb found that his mind was working on overdrive. They had gone through something like twenty more books when he found that he couldn't keep quiet any longer. "Wanna get married?" he questioned casually.

Azkadellia's hands went perfectly still, and when she looked up at him it was with wide eyes and her mouth in a little round 'o' of surprise. For a moment she only stared, and then she took a deep breath and spoke. "Have you completely lost your mind?"

Well that hadn't been precisely what he was expecting. "Why, because I'd have to be crazy to want to get married, or because I'd have to be crazy to want to marry you?"

"Take your pick," she told him.

"Az." He was up and around the table before she knew it, and suddenly he was on his knees in front of her, bringing them almost eye to eye. "I love you, and there's nothing crazy about me."

She looked doubtful about that one. "Jeb, we're in a library researching cures for my magically comatose sister, I'm covered in dirt, and you're on your knees. Plenty about this is crazy."

He shook his head. "It's not. Will you hear me out here?" He waited for her hesitant nod before he continued. "We've already established that I love you, and I'm pretty sure you love me too, so that's one thing out of the way."

"You know I love…"

"Now what did I say about hearing me out?"

Az sighed exasperatedly. "Fine, hearing."

"Thank you. Seeing my father the way he is right now, how torn up he is and how much he hurts; that just makes me realize all the more how lucky I am to have you. Everything that's happened has only made me realize that we have to take complete advantage of every second that we have together. I want to marry you, I want to kiss you over an altar and wake up with you every morning without servants whispering about whether or not we're sleeping together."

"What servants are whispering about that?" He raised an eyebrow at her and she sighed. "Sorry, listening."

"Thanks. Az, I want you to be my wife; I want to have kids with you and get old with you. I love you too much not to."

She was completely blown away, and not sure at all what to say to him. "Can I talk now?" When he nodded she continued. "I love you; you know I love you. But you have to understand why this is so terrifying for me. For so many years I was trapped in a body that wasn't my own. I was there when the witch did things that I won't ever tell anyone about because they were too ghastly to even speak of." Her voice broke and she felt tears tracing a path down her cheek. "Romance was a concept completely absent in my life for so long that when you showed up I hardly knew what to do with myself. It took me a long time not to be afraid of you and what we have."

"But you're not afraid anymore Az," he told her, reaching up to stroke a hand over her cheek. "You overcame, and we're here, and we love each other. What's so wrong with making it official?"

"Nothing, there's nothing wrong with making it official; but you were wrong, I am still scared. I'm scared of what I feel for you and what you feel for me. And I'm so scared that what happened to Cain and DG could happen to us one day."

He shook his head. "So you would never get on a horse for fear that it might buck you off or you might get hurt?" Jeb asked with a wry smile.

Az let out a little laugh. "No, I suppose I would get on the horse anyway, and work to make sure that I didn't fall off. You comparing yourself to a horse Jeb?"

"Not in the slightest," he told her, though he was blushing as he did. "And you're avoiding. You going to marry me or not?"

The smile that graced her features then was positively radiant. "Yes, I'm going to marry you."

"Good thing then." He knew he was grinning like an idiot, and when she launched herself at him he didn't even bother to break their fall. They went tumbling together to the floor as she peppered his face with kisses. "I love you."

"I love you too," she told him between kisses. "Oh I'm going to get married, and you need to talk to my father, and I have to get a dress…"

Damn it, he'd forgotten about Ahamo. "Your father…"

"Oh he's harmless," she said, swatting at his shoulder. There was a cough from the doorway and she looked up. "Hello Daddy."

"Shit," Jeb swore under his breath. He tilted his head back to see a very upside down and very stoic Ahamo standing there. "Hello sir." He scrambled to his feet, taking Az with him. "I…"

Ahamo held a hand up. "Did I hear right that you two are planning on getting married?"

"That would be right sir," he said nervously. Az giggling under her breath and the stone serious look on her father's face weren't helping. "I would've talked to you but it was kind of spur of the moment."

"Well that's putting it mildly," Az muttered under her breath.

The consort regarded him for a long moment, and Jeb got the distinct impression that he was deciding whether or not he should punch him in the face or the gut. "Spur of the moment, huh?" he questioned. Then a smile broke out on his face and Jeb felt like he'd been given the world's greatest gift. "I take it you'll get my daughter a real ring then?"

He nodded enthusiastically. "Whatever she wants, sir."

"You can quit calling me sir."

"Yes si… Ahamo."

Before anything else could be said, the moment was interrupted rather spectacularly. Glitch sprinted into the room, his hair flying as he panted for breath. "We've got to get to DG and Cain's rooms."

"What happened?" Az questioned, fear rising as quickly as joy had.

He broke into a huge smile. "Not bad news, good news. DG is starting to move around a bit. Just a finger or a foot occasionally, but Raw says he thinks she's waking up!"

"Gods," she gasped. "It's a miracle."

For the second time in a short while, the royal family and their friends ran through the palace as fast as their legs would take them. When they finally got to DG and Cain's rooms they found Raw and the queen standing next to the bed while Cain sat next to DG, his hand stroking through her hair as he spoke to her quietly.

"Anything new?" Glitch asked.

Raw nodded. "DG move hand again, like reaching for Tin Man. Eyelids move some too."

"Come on Darlin', open your eyes for me," Cain urged.

It was another tense ten minutes of before they all got what they were hoping for. Finally, after so many long weeks of waiting and hoping to have her back, her eyes opened again. Her vision was unfocused at first, but she found Cain soon enough. "Wyatt, you're okay," she breathed gratefully.

He nodded, too overwhelmed by the tears falling from his eyes to do anything else. He wasn't the only one. It seemed the entire room was crying, Az having fallen into Jeb's arms and the queen leaving heavily on her consort. Glitch was brushing at his eyes with a handkerchief and Raw had fallen to his knees, overcome by the intense emotions in the room.

"What happened?" DG asked.

Cain reached down to run his hand over her arm, keeping them skin to skin as much as he could. "What you did for me took a lot out of you." There was a confused look on her face, but he wanted to get it all out. "When you gave me some of yourself it took you out. You've been unconscious for over a month."

Tears were welling in her eyes as he leaned over her, clearly concerned. "Wyatt something's wrong."

"What?" he questioned. He reached out to frame her face gently with his hands, his fingers sweeping over her skin. "What's wrong darlin'?"

"I don't know what you just said to me," she sobbed. "Wyatt, I can't hear you."

Note From The Author—I'm so sorry for taking up so high and then dropping you on your butts so quick, I assure you it was necessary. Don't hurt me please.


	4. Chapter 4

Everyone in the room went completely still and silent at DG's words. They were all hoping that they had somehow misheard her; that after all she had been through this couldn't be added to the heap. But they had known there would be consequences for her actions, and it looked as if the princess hadn't managed to outrun them.

Cain's heart stuttered back to life as DG spoke again. "Wyatt, I can't hear anything."

His instincts had his mouth opening. "I'm sorry darlin', I'm so sorry."

"Nothing." She shook her head as tears began to fall. "I can see your mouth moving but I can't hear you."

"Oh my God," Az whispered brokenly.

Wyatt shook his head. "Glitch, find something to write with."

DG could see that everyone was talking, and she could see the fear on all of their faces. As the seconds ticked by in complete silence she felt her pulse begin to race. "Cain, oh God; Oh God what do I do?"

Her chest heaved as her breathing raged out of control. The tide of tears couldn't be stemmed, and they poured unceasingly down her cheeks. Wyatt could see the fear in her eyes and reached a hand out to rest on her cheek. Blue eyes met blue and held even as he spoke. "Glitch, stand behind me where she can see you and write everything I say."

"Got it."

Cain nodded and took a deep breath. "Okay. We're going to figure this out darlin'."

Her eyes darted between him and Glitch. "How?" she sobbed.

"I don't rightly know, but we will find a way."

"What happened?" she asked. "Why am I like this?"

The answer made his heart clench. "When you brought me back, when you gave some of yourself to me, it took a piece of you with it."

Her eyes left the paper Glitch was holding and found his again. "Wyatt…" She couldn't seem to find any other words, and her breathing grew more erratic with every second.

It had to be headed off at the pass, or she would hyperventilate. "Look at me." Her eyes closed as her breath hitched and he shook his head. His hand was firm on her jaw as he forced her attention back to him. She looked back up at him and he reached down to take one of her hands and press it against his chest, his own free hand finding it's way up to press against his heart. "Feel my heart beat DG. Deep breath in and out and make yours match mine."

She nodded, taking a shuddering breath. Cain could feel her heartbeat slowing under his hand and he held back a relieved sigh. "Okay, that's good sweetheart. Now you look at those papers Glitch has. We will find a way to fix this. Right now I don't know how, but we will fix this. You've got some powerful magic on your side in this palace, and some of the smartest people in the OZ, and we will figure it out."

"I…. I just don't know what to do, how to live like this," she whimpered.

"We'll work that out too darlin', even if I have to be by your side every moment." He had been trying not to say it, but he couldn't seem to hold back. "Darlin' I'm so sorry that this all happened because you were trying to save me."

That seemed to shake her awake, and she shook her head violently. "No, it was worth it. Don't ever think that it wasn't worth it to have you back."

Cain could feel his own tears falling as he brushed his thumb over her cheek. "You love me too much darlin'."

"Never too much," she whispered. "It could never be too much."

Az felt like she was intruding on the beautiful scene; the two of them with tears in their eyes and their hands pressed to each other's hearts. She felt her own tears fall, and wasn't sure if it was because she was worried for her sister, or because she was hoping with all she had that she and Jeb had a love like that.

Either way she stepped into DG's field of vision. "I'll start looking, little sister. As soon as I leave this room; I promise."

The princess's eyes read her sister's words and she nodded. "I know; I know you will, and I'm so grateful Az. I'm so sorry I put you all through this."

It was her mother's words that went down on paper next as she spoke with a surprising amount of strength. "Nonsense, Angel. You did everything you could to bring back the man you love. And Wyatt is completely correct; we will expend every resource necessary to get your hearing back."

"I have to know. Is there…is there a chance that this could be permanent?"

"There's a chance, sweetheart." Wyatt brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her palm softly. "But we'll do absolutely everything we can before we even entertain that."

She nodded as she looked away from Glitch. "I know, I do. I just…."

"I know darlin'."

Jeb could see the desperation in his father's eyes, and the mirroring emotions in DG's. Though he wasn't sure if it would be a welcome suggestion, he knew what needed to be done. "Why don't we let Dad and DG have some time alone," he said quietly.

The others hesitated, but in the end they knew the younger Cain was right. DG had gone to extraordinary lengths to get her husband back, and he had been at her bedside for weeks. So with a couple of tearful kisses and hugs they all filed out, leaving the couple alone.

The minute they were alone DG reached for him, and he lowered himself down to kiss her slowly. Just when she was sure she would burn to ashes he pulled away and looked straight into her eyes. "I love you."

She couldn't tell if he had said it or mouthed it, but she recognized those three words. "I love you too." Neither need say another word.

Az's head was reeling as she left DG's rooms. She had known the chances, but still she had hoped against hope that it would be something small taken from her baby sister. To lose her hearing… She couldn't imagine living in a world of silence after having enjoyed the amazing sounds of the world for twenty some odd years.

She vaguely heard her family and friends as they shared where they would go then, but didn't pay it much heed. She knew exactly where she was going, and where she would be until she had discovered every book, spell and potion known to the OZ that could possibly restore her little sister's hearing. It was there that Jeb found her two hours later. She was back in the library; in the same chair she'd been sitting in when he had proposed only hours before. Funny how quickly things changed.

He knew there was no use in trying to talk her out of the room. Instead, he set a plate of simple fruit and cheese at her side then brought his hands to her shoulders to kneed at the knots there. "Anything?"

Azkadellia shook her head, blowing out a frustrated breath. "Nothing yet, but there has to be something here. There has to."

"You'll find it," he said confidently, bending to press a kiss to her temple. "You'll find it, with all of our help."

"Thank you, Jeb."

He shook his head. "You know I'd do anything for you darlin'."

The nickname still reminded her of DG and Cain, and it still made her heart ache just a little bit. "Do you think we'll ever have what they have?" she asked quietly.

Jeb's brow furrowed. "You think we don't?"

"We're in love, really and truly in love; but Jeb do we have that love? That love like your Dad and DG that makes everyone else in the room go away when they look in each other's eyes."

Jeb hated that she was still unsure about them. Though he knew it was only natural given her past, it still saddened him every time a doubt entered her mind. With a sigh he took a seat in the chair next to her. "Come here." It pleased him to see that she smiled when he effortlessly pulled her chair to face him. "Everyone's love is different, Az. DG is pretty much the air that my father breathes. Do we have that? I don't know if we have exactly what they have, but there are some things I can tell you for sure."

"For example?"

"Well, you take my breath away every time you walk into a room. I think you look gorgeous when you very first wake up and your hair is all messy and your eyes are still kind of sleep blind. God, I should have led with this instead of hey you gonna marry me?"

Az couldn't help but laugh. "Maybe, but I love that it wasn't the typical proposal."

"Me too. Where was I?" He worked over her giggle with a smile. "I love that you can have your head in a book all day but you can also kick major ass when you want to. I thinks it's hilarious that you can spar with Glitch and dance with him and that you purposely keep your emotions as level as you can around Raw so he doesn't get overwhelmed."

"You make it so hard for me to come up with creative things to say," she told him with a little nudge. "But you're right. Everyone loves differently. And I think that we may just have something as good as Wyatt and DG, just something different."

Jeb flashed a smile. "Well there are similarities. There's the age difference to start."

She elbowed him in the stomach. "Never bring up a woman's age."

Az was on her feet and walking away from him with her nose in the air when he caught her hand and pulled the squealing princess to stand between his legs. "Hey now." He tugged her into his lap and briefly caught her mouth. "I think I like having me an older woman."

"Be very careful of your choice of words," she warned with narrowed eyes.

"I mean, a mature woman with a world of experience only waiting to impart her wisdom. And did I mention gorgeous?"

The giggle escaped without permission, but she gave in. He was just too perfect. "Much better." She brought her mouth to his again, resting her forehead against his shoulder. "What will they do if she never gets her hearing back?"

He sighed. "They'll find a way to make it work. You saw the way they were with each other earlier. Deaf, blind, no memory; it wouldn't matter, they would find a way to be together no matter what. Even if this ends up being permanent they'll make it work."

"I know, but let's all hope and pray that they don't have to work around it forever."

Jeb bent to kiss her forehead softly. "Let's hope."


	5. Chapter 5

Note From The Author—Here's our last chapter, ladies and gents. I hope you've enjoyed! You knew it would end happy :)

On the Other Side there were all kinds of platitudes that people offered when something terrible happened.

We're so sorry for what you lost.

That which doesn't kill us often makes us stronger.

When one door closes another door opens.

DG had discovered that the OZ had all of the same platitudes, with certain modifications. She had also discovered that just like home, most of them were complete bull shit.

She knew that the her people really did feel sorry for her and that they cared for her well-being, but she also knew that all the cares and well wishes in the world weren't likely to bring back her hearing. The princess knew that somewhere in the distant future if the loss was permanent, she would probably look back and see that she was a better and stronger person for it, but in the moment it was more than difficult to be clear minded.

Glitch and Az spent every waking hour attempting to make sure that she would never have to find that perspective, but they found very little. Though they kept on researching, the only thing they could say which was absolutely certain was that DG's hearing would either come back or it wouldn't; it seemed as if only time would truly tell. Of course they kept searching for magical and metaphysical answers, but what it really came down to was a waiting game.

Five months after the day that had turned her life completely upside down DG was learning to cope without the ability to hear. Attempting to construct a new life in silence had taken a lot out of her, but she tried to be thankful for being alive; and she was beyond grateful to have Cain by her side. Still she had been forced to completely relearn how to do things, and it was more difficult than she could have imagined.

The entirety of the palace was working on learning the OZ's version of sign language; a feat DG herself continually struggled with. While they all worked their way through the process every room in the palace was equipped with tablets and writing implements; and Az and DG worked out a way to write with their magic. It was often hard work; but as they were faced with no other choice, so it went.

Dealing was all they could do, but as they coped no one could quite forget the heartbreak that was brought to them daily. Unused to the conditions and unable to hear herself DG spoke less and less the more time went by. She was self conscious about what her voice sounded like, and after a few months she only spoke when she was alone with Wyatt, when she felt she wouldn't be judged in any way. The lack of her voice amongst them seemed to sadden the whole of the palace.

For her own part, DG couldn't seem to forget everything she had once heard; and the hardest thing to block from her mind was the knowledge that she may never hear her husband say her name again. That she may never get another chance to hear him say I love you. She savored every bit of him that she could, cataloging every taste of him and every caress against her skin. They learned to speak with their eyes and read each others bodies better than ever. But to lose that wonderfully deep voice of his, the way it flowed through her when he called her darlin' and the way he whispered her name when he held her; that loss was more devastating than any other.

For a long time she never said or wrote a word of her feelings to Cain, but he knew her better than anyone else. There were times that fear and sorrow radiated from her, and he knew there was too much going unsaid. Even so, he wasn't sure how to brook the subject; but as it would turn out, he wouldn't need to.

One night in bed Cain woke for seemingly no reason to find what seemed like a peaceful DG lying in his arms. Yet he could sense that something was off, and with a deep breath he cataloged everything around him. It would seem his wife was silent and still, but as he took her in he could see otherwise.

Breathing that should have been even and deep was shallow, punctuated sporadically by a silent but wrenching sob. Her back was pressed to his chest, and though she tried to hold herself still he could feel her shaking against him. His hand stroked over her cheek and she turned in his arms, burying her face against his chest. The tears he felt falling wet against his skin tore him apart, and he tipped her face up so he could look at her. Ice blue eyes gazed into sapphire and he asked the question without saying a word.

Her eyes were brimming with tears and when she spoke her voice was thick with tears and hoarse from lack of use. "I miss you," she whispered.

He pressed their hands together briefly before lacing their fingers together. The message was perfectly clear: I'm right here.

"You're always here," DG said, nodding. "But I miss you Wyatt. I don't get to hear you say my name or call me sweetheart or darlin'. I never get to hear you say I love you."

The whispered admission brought tears to his own eyes. To know she felt this way, and to know that there was little he could do to help her made him feel more helpless than he had since he'd been locked in an iron suit. There had to be something he could do for her.

His hands glided across her skin up to caress her face, and he guided her mouth up to meet his. It was sweet and slow, but before they pulled away she felt the press of a kiss turn to the whisper of words. The three words were impossible to mistake for any others, and her heart hitched.

With tears falling faster than before, though thankfully for a happier reason, she trailed kisses from his mouth down to his chest. She pressed a kiss to the warm skin above the beat of his heart, and then her lips murmured the same three words there.

He was filled with love for her more than ever, and again he gently brought her mouth back to his. It couldn't bring her hearing back, but he had found a way to tell her he loved her that didn't involve writing it impersonally on a note pad. He couldn't give her everything she needed, but he could give her everything in his power.

Five months bled into six, and six months rapidly began to edge towards a year. After so much time DG had begun to lose hope for a cure, magical or otherwise. Despite the fact that Glitch assured her that however her magic had ravaged her body, time and healing could still reverse the damage, she gradually started to accept that the rest of her life would likely be lived in silence.

Az stopped looking for a magical solution, though under protest and only after a lengthy sign language conversation with her sister that left her huffing but understanding the younger princess's point of view. DG told her that it was time for her to shift focus to herself and begin planning a wedding and a life with Jeb. Though Azkadellia didn't like it, she was left with little choice but to do as her baby sister asked. She worried over it, but as she watched Deeg begin to find her own in a new world she could see that it was best to move forward.

So the elder princess dove into planning a wedding, and the younger began to have a surprisingly good time helping her with it. When the day was right on top of them Az was surprisingly calm, and DG was surprisingly frazzled. Of course, that could have had something to do with the fact that her husband and Jeb's best man was stuck in bed with one of the worst cases of the Ozian Flu that she had ever seen with three days before the wedding.

_He's got to get better_. DG flashed a notepad at Az. The two of them were putting final touches on flowers and it was easier than trying to keep a sign language conversation and flower futzing going at the same time. _What's Jeb supposed to do without a best man?_

Her sister cast her hand at the notepad, using her magic to put words down before she returned to her work. _You know Cain. He'll be out of bed the day of the wedding either way. You may have to carry him back to said bed as soon as Jeb and I say 'I do', but he'll be there._

DG nodded as she read._ I know, and that's why I worry. He pushes himself too hard_.

_Yes he does, and that stubborn streak and dedication are exactly why you love him so much._ She grinned, and after a second thought added more._ Well, that and that fabulously delicious rear end that I can most definitely tell you runs in the family._

Her eyes widened and she smiled, tossing a piece or ribbon playfully across the table. _Hey, eyes and hands off big sister._

_Oh don't worry, I've got plenty of hands on experience all on my own thanks._

They were both spared the necessity of a response when Raw stuck his head into the room and signed to them. _Tin Man is trying to get out of bed_

With a frustrated sigh and a shake of her head, DG got to her feet and headed out of the room as fast as she could go. It didn't take her long to make it to her and Cain's quarters, where she leaned in the door and watcher her husband struggle to sit up. It was clear that nausea was trying to overtake him as he worked and she sighed again, drawing his attention over to her.

When Cain saw her he flopped back down in the bed and she nodded. _That's what I thought. Nice try, though, _she signed.

_It's my son's wedding and I'm missing everything. Can you blame me?_

She shook her head, walking over to smooth the blankets around him. _I can't blame you at all, but Jeb will be happier if you stay in bed and miss some of the preparations and can actually function three days from now at the wedding._

_I know_.

Satisfied that she had gotten through to him, DG set about picking up the debris of used tissues and medicines. Everything with sickness was a great deal more complicated in the OZ, and there were times that she longed for a blister pack of Nyquil. Still, all of the complex medicines seemed to be helping Cain feel better, even if they left a lot more detritus than the Other Side remedies.

As he watched his wife bustle around tidying up Cain frowned. Their relationship was usually fifty, fifty and he hated that she had to do practically everything for him. The one thing he had learned in the time since his and DG's ordeal was that she didn't mind him speaking around her. This was partially because she was so good at reading him that she didn't need the words and partially because she had learned rather quickly to read lips. DG had told them in the beginning that she didn't want the palace to go silent because of her. So she learned to read lips, learned the sign language, and seemed genuinely happier for the fact that her friends and family were still able to enjoy the sounds of the world. That was just a perfect example of how much she cared for everyone just like she was caring for him then, and he shook his head as she turned her back to go to work on the desk that was covered in more of the garbage of sickness.

"Damn flu making me an invalid; my tiny little wife having to haul my ass everywhere," he muttered.

DG snorted and Wyatt froze. She evidently didn't even realize what she had done, just kept working. But he felt his heart begin to beat wildly in his chest and he eased himself up to a sitting position in the bed and decided to try again.

"I'm certainly not going to do my son any good lying in bed. Can't even manage to kiss anyone properly." This time DG laughed out loud, and then she went absolutely stock still and he took a deep breath. "Darlin'?" he questioned, his voice shaking.

She didn't give any indication of what she was feeling as she slowly turned to face him. But when their eyes met there were tears shining in her eyes. "Wyatt."

Hesitancy and fear were clear in her voice and he felt tears come into his eyes when he realized just how terrified she was. "DG can you hear me?"

Slowly she took a single step forward then stopped.. Then with a cry caught somewhere between sobbing and joy she nodded. "I can hear you. Wyatt I can hear you!"

"Gods." He surged to his feet, ignoring the nausea that rushed over him. "Sweetheart…"

She gave a stunned laugh and launched herself into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist. "Oh my God, I can hear you. Say it again."

"Sweetheart, darlin', DG…" He trailed off as he peppered kisses across her face. "I'm going to get you sick."

"I couldn't care less." As if to prove it she leaned down to capture his mouth, pouring every single emotion she was feeling into one of the most passionate kisses they had ever shared.

Neither of them noticed Az and Jeb come in. The former stood just inside the doorway with her hands on her hips and an exasperated look on her face. "Here we thought something horrible was happening and you two are just in here making out. Wyatt Cain I swear if you get my maid of honor sick right before my wedding I may have to kill you."

"I'm not going to get sick Az."

"You think that now but when you spend the morning before I walk down the aisle vomiting like…" It seemed to hit her all of the sudden what had just happened and her mouth fell open. "Did you just…?"

DG nodded as she slid to the floor and stepped out of Cain's arms. "I heard what you said."

Her eyes filled with tears and for a moment it was clear that she really didn't know what to do for herself. Then a radiant smile broke out on her face and the Princess Azkadellia let out a scream that just about knocked her fiancé on his ass seconds before she picked up her baby sister and swung her in a circle. "It really is a miracle! You can hear! Oh my…"

"Breathing is necessary Az."

Glitch, Raw and the Queen and Consort came running into the room and were utterly confused when they found what seemed a great deal like a happy reunion.

"Care to let us in on the secret?" Ahamo asked.

Cain grinned. "Why don't you ask DG?"

"Ask DG, Wyatt, what on earth…?" the Queen's voice was laced with confusion.

"Ask me mother."

Lavender eyes went comically wide. "Angel?"

DG nodded, and the entire palace staff was in the room moments later after the queen let out the loudest scream they had ever heard.

In bed later that night Cain nuzzled at DG's neck with a smile. "Your sister's right, you're probably going to gets sick."

She laughed. "So we can all be assured that I won't look better than the bride."

"True. I think you made everyone's day darlin', mine included."

DG leaned up to kiss him gently. "I made my day, and night, and week." Unable to keep herself from smiling she pressed another kiss to his lips. "Tell me again."

"That I love you? Sweetheart you know I do."

"God I love hearing it." With a contented sigh she snuggled close against him. "Though I think I may miss the way we've been doing it."

Cain took her chin gently in his hand. "You don't have to miss it." The met each other halfway and when they came together his lips whispered against hers. _I love you._

He felt her smile before she whispered back against his mouth, _I love you too._


End file.
